Car truck bolster



Aug; 23, 1932. w SHHIQMAN 1,8,7

cm TRUCK 130mm;

Filed April 3, 1931' 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 as f l I m II 23, c. w. SHERMAN 1,873,055

CAR TRUCK BOLSTER Filed April 5. 1951 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 leg. 0.

Patented Aug. 23, 1932 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CLIFTON W. SHERMAN, OF HAMILTON, ONTARIO, CANADA, ASSIGNOR TO ADIRONDACK STEEL FOUNDRIES CORPORATION, OF NEW YORK WATERVLIET, NEW YORK, A CORPORATION OF CAR TRUCK BOLSTER Application filed April 3, 1931. Serial No. 527,408.

This invention relates to a car truck bolster in which the various members are constructed of sheet metal plates cut and bent to the form desired and connected with each other by welding so as to virtually produce an integral structure.

It is the object of this inventionto provide a car truck bolster of this character in which the metal is so distributed and organized that a bolster is obtained which is stronger and rigid and better able to sustain the loads imposed on the same, and also enables the bolster to be made readily and economically without the use of costly equipment.

In the accompanying drawings:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of one form of the improved bolster embodying my invention. 1

Figure 2 is a vertical longitudinal section of the same taken on line 22 Fig. 3.

Figure 3 is a top view of the same.

Figure 4 is a bottom plan view thereof.

Figure 5 is a horizontal section taken on line 55, Fig. 1.

Figure 6 is an end view of the bolster.

Figures 7 and 8 are vertical transverse sections taken on the correspondingly numbered lines in Fig. 1.

Figure 9 is a vertical longitudinal section of a modified form of my improved bolster.

.aoters of reference indicate like parts in the several figures of the drawings.

Referring to Figs. 1-8, the numeral 20 represents two upright longitudinal side plates or walls which are made from sheet metal. Each of these plates has a horizontal upper edge, a comparatively high central part 21, relatively low parts 22 at opposite ends thereof and outwardly narrowing or tapering intermediate parts 23 extending in opposite directions from the central high part 21 to the outer low parts 22, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2.

The numeral 24 represents an upper or top plate of sheet metal which extends across the upper edges of the side plates 20 and is connected thereto by Welding, and 25 represents a lower 'or bottom plate of sheet metal which extends across the lower edges of the side plates and is connected therewith by welding and has a depressed central part 211, elevated end parts 221 and inclined intermediate parts 231 connecting the depressed central part 211 and the elevated end parts 221. The upper or top plate is made from a flat plate which is bent upwardly at the central part thereof and the lower plate is made from a plate which is bent to conform to the contour of the lower edge of the side plates.

The lower plate is preferably slightly longer than the upper plate in order to ensure a wide bearing of the ends of the bolster on the spring means which yieldingly support the same on the side frames of the car truck. The opposite ends of the vertical side plates preferably terminate short of the corresponding ends of the upper and lower plates and are provided with upright guide flanges 19 which are bent laterally outward therefrom to form part of the means for guiding the bolster on the side frames of the car truck.

The corresponding portions 201 of the side plates at opposite ends thereof are parallel and engage their upper and lower edges with the opposing surfaces of the top and bottom as shown in Figs. 3, 4 and 5. The top and bottom plates and the side plates are connected by welding either electrically or gas flame.

Arranged lengthwise within the hollow body of the bolster is an upright web 32 of sheetmetal which is secured at its upper and lower edges to the underside of the top plate and the upper side of the bottom plate midway between the longitudinal edges of the latter by electric spot welding or other suitable means, said central web being of I the same contour as the side plates in order to fit against the top and bottom plates. This central web is preferably secured to the bottom plate before the top plate is assembled with the structure which renders the joint between the bottom plate and web accessible from the inside of the bolster body and permits of properly connecting these members by welding and leave the bottom member imperforate, as shown in Figs. 2 and 4. The top plate is secured to the upper edges of the side plates and the web by welding which can be readily accomplished between the top plate and the side plates whose opposing edges are exposed on the exterior of the bolster body.

In order to also reach the joint between the upper edge of the web and the top platea plurality of welding holes 33 are provided in the top plate which are arranged in a longitudinal row over the upper edge of the web and expose the latter at intervals so that the same and the adjacent parts of the top plate are accessible from the exterior of the bolster for connecting them by spot welding and a plug 331 of welding metal.

The central part of the bolster body is provided with means for pivotally connecting the same with the car body to permit the body and truck to turn horizontally relatively to one another. In the form shown in Figs. 1-8

this is accomplished by providing the central part of the upper side of the upper plate with a circular depressed or dished seat 26 which is engaged by a cup shaped wearing piece or center bearing 27 of sheet metal. This seat and the center bearing extend across the upper edges of the web and the inwardly bent central parts of the side plates and project laterally beyond the latter, whereby a good support for the center bearing is provided which enables the bolster to carry loads without liability of deflecting the top plate downwardly.

The center bearing and the seat in the top.

plate are provided with registering openings 28, 29 which are adapted to receive a pivot pin or bolt forming part of the means which permit the car truck and car body to turn horizontally relatively to each other.

Within the central part of the bolster body is arranged a horizontal transverse rib which is made of sheet metal and connected at its opposite ends by welding with the inner opposing sides of the central partsof the side plates, while its central part extends through recess 301 in the upper edge of the web and is connected with the latter by welding. In its preferred form this rib is channel shaped and provided with a lower web 30 and two flanges 31 projecting upwardly from opposite edges of the web, as shown in Figs. 2, 4: and 7.

A fulcrum bracket is provided for pivotal- 1y mounting a brake lever on the bolster body, which bracket preferably consists of a shank 35 electrically welded to the top of thcbolster so that its inner end is arranged adjacent to one of the welding openings 33 and is spot welded to the adjacent parts of the top plate and longitudinal web while its outer end is twisted and forms an eye 36 for the pivot of a brake lever.

When the several parts of the bolster are thus assembled and united by welding the structure as a whole is practically one single piece or mass which though light is very strong and capable of being manufactured at low cost.

In the form of this improved bolster shown in Figs. 9, 10 and 11 the side plates do not extend the full length of the top and bottom plates but instead the central parts of these side plates are omitted and only two short side plate sections 34 are arranged between the end portions of the longitudinal edges of top and bottom plates at opposite ends thereof and connected thereto by welding. In this construction the transverse rib has the form of a flat plate 37 and the center bearing has the form of a flat metal disk 38, said rib and disk being welded to the side walls, web and top plate, respectively, of the body. The centering disk and top plate are provided with registering openings 39 for the pivot pin of the center bearing.

For the purpose of enabling the rods, chains or other operating members of the brake mechanism to pass through the bolster the latter is provided in its side plates and central web with sets registering openings 60, 61 on opposite sides of the center of the bolster, as shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 5, and thereby permitting of compactly assembling the brake mechanism with this bolster.

As shown in Figs. 12, 13 and 14, the center bearing is formed by a cup or wearing piece 41 of sheet metal resting on the top plate and held in place by metal segments 42 which are of angular form in cross section and secured to the top plate by welding, said cup 41 and the top plate being provided with registering openings 43 for a pivot pin or bolt.

If desired the central longitudinal web may be replaced by a plurality of upright sheet metal webs 45 of different height arranged transversely within the hollow bolster body at different points in the length thereof and each connected by welding at its upper, lower and side edges with the top, bottom and side plates of the bolster body, as shown in Figs. 12, 13 and 14;. The transverse welded to the upper edges of the transverse .a top sheet metal plate connected by webs in the central part of the bolster body are comparatively high and narrow, those in the end arts thereof are comparatively short and wi e, and those in the central and end parts of the bolster body approximate the form of the central and 'end webs.

and side edges to the bottom and side plates before the top plate is assembled therewith and then the top plate may be welded to the upper edges of the side plates and also spot webs through openings 44 in the top plate in line with saidwebs. The central web 45 is provided with a recess 46 in its upper edge to provide the required clearance for the pivot pin which isintroduced into the opening 43.

As an alternative form of brake lever sup port the construction'shown in Figs. 13 and 14 may be used which consists of a bracket 47 secured by welding in an opening 48 in an edge of the top plate and provided with 'a laterally projecting pivot eye 49.

v I claim as my invention:

1. A car truck bolster, comprising a plurality of upright longitudinal sheet metal side plates a bottom sheet metal plate connected.

by we ding'with the lower edges of the side plates, a top sheet metal plate connected by welding with the upper edges of said side plates, and an upri ht sheet metal plate or web arranged lengt wise between said side, bottom and top plates and welded thereto,

said bottom plate being imperforate and said topbplate having welding openings above said we 1 2. A car truck bolster, comprising a plurality of longitudinal sheet metal side plates, a bottom sheet metal plate connected by welding with the lower edges of the side plates, weld ing with the upper edges of said side plates,

and a transverse metal rib connected at its opposite ends with the centralparts of the side lates and having the form of a channel whicli extends horizontally.

3. A car truck bolster, comprising a plurality of upright longitudinal sheet metal side plates, a bottom sheet metal plate connected by welding with the lower edges of the side plates, a top sheet metal plate connected by welding with the upper edges of said side plates and the opposite ends of each of said side plates being bent laterally outward to form upright guide flanges.

4. A car truck bolster, comprising'a plurality of. upright longitudinal sheet metal-side plates, a bottom sheet metal plate extending .across the lower edges of the side plates and I, welded thereto, a top sheet metal plate extending across the upper edges of the side plates and welded thereto,-the opposite ends of each of said side plates terminating short of the corresponding ends of the bottom and These transverse webs may be welded at their lower,

top plates and-bent laterally outward to form upright guide flan es. 7

' 5. A car truck bo ster', comprising a pluralit of upright longitudinal sheet metal side p ates, a bottom sheet metal late connected said seat.

In testimony whereof I hereby aflix my signature.

CLIFTON W. SHERMAN. 

